Gravity sanding device.



J. GAPP.

GRAVITY SANDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION 'FILED OCT. 6. 1916.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

FQE,

JOHN GAPP, 0F SGRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRAVITY SANDING- DEVICE.

Application filed October 6, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JonN GAPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gravity Sanding Devices, of which improvement the following is a specification.

This invention relates to track sanding devices for locomotives, and other vehicles, and has for its object to provide a manually controlled gravity sander with pneumatic means for also assisting the flow of sand through the discharge pipes to the rails.

In the use of gravity sanding devices as applied to modern locomotives, it is often diiiicult to obtain a free flow of sand through the discharge pipes on account of the length of pipe required to reach forward beyond the front drivers or to a point behind the rear drivers, and my invention comprises improved means for introducing an air jet to assist the discharge of sand, which is controlled by the manually operated gravity valve, through the long discharge pipe to the rails.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a vertical section of one form of device embodying my improvement; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of a portion thereof, showing the manually operated rotary gravity valve; and, Fig. 3, a vertical section of a modified manifold construction having a sliding gravity valve.

According to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I have illustrated my improvement as applied to a manifold, 5, having a pipe connection, 6, at its top, which may be of any desired length according to the preferred location of the-manifold, and connected to the sand boX.

The manifold contains a partition having ports controlled by the rotary valve, 7, operated by the beveled gears, 8 and 9, and shaft, 10, provided with an arm, 11, outside of the casing, and any suitable mechanical connections which may be operated from the cab to open the supply of sand to either the forward discharge pipe, 12, or rearward discharge pipe, 13.

According to my improvement, I provide Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917. Serial No. 124,022. I

an air jet to assist the discharge of sand to either of the gravity discharge pipes, and this feature may comprise an air passage, 14, communicating with air supply pipe, 15, and having a discharge nozzle, 16, directed downward into the delivery pipe. If preferred, the air passage may be formed with a suitable air chamber, 17, having a regulating valve, 18, for governing the force of the air current delivered into the discharge pipe.

Any suitable or preferred form of manually operated valve for controlling the flow of sand through the dischar e pipes may be employed. As shown in Fig. 3, a slide valve, 20, is applied to the bottom of the manifold casing, and is supported on a plate, 21, secured to the casing by suitable bolts and having threaded openings for securing the discharge pipes, l and 13, in line with the respective discharge openings in the bottom of the casing. The slide valve is provided with a port, 22, adapted to register with either of said discharge pipes, and may be actuated by any suitable mechanical connections extending to the locomotive cab. The air jet connections are the same as above described in connection with Fig. 1.

By means of my improvement, each gravity sander may be converted into an air sanding device, and the air jet may be used either for assisting the How of sand through the gravity discharge pipes or for cleaning out said pipes in case they should become clogged.

The manifold may be provided with a clean out plug, 19.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a track sanding device, the combination of a manifold casing having gravity discharge pipe connections, a manually operated valve for controlling the flow of sand through said discharge pipe, an air chamber in said casing, an air passage from said chamber and having a fixed outlet directed downward into said discharge pipe, and an air supply pipe communicating with said chamber.

2. I11 a track sanding device, the combination of a manifold casing having gravity downward into the gravity discharge pipe, a discharge pipe connections, a manually opvalve for said passage, and an air supply erated valve for controlling the flow of sand pipe for sald chamber.

through said discharge pipe, an air cham- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 10 5 her formed in said manifold casing, an air my hand.

passage from said chamber discharging JOHN GAPP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents- Washington, D. G. 

